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Terms, $4 per Annum.
CHARLOTTE, N. C, JULY 18, 1865.
Volume 13 Number 675.
JOW HON. JNO. C. BRECKINRIDGE
ESCAPED.
The following interesting account oi tue es
cape is furnished by the correspondent of the
v- Vnrt Wnrld : , .. -
Havana, June 17.
General J. C. Breckinridge, accompanied by
his aid-de-camp, Captain J. Wilson; his faith-'
f'ul war servant, Thomas; Colonel Taylor Wood,
and two Confederate soldiers, arrived at Carde
Das on the 11th instant, in open boat of about
one tori burthen, from the coast of Florida.
This party, after the capture of the President
of the late republic, made their way to the St.
Johns river, where they proceeded up that riv
er until they reached a'point due west' of the
Indian river, near the head of navigation. At
tit. Johns, Colonel Taylor Wood joined the par
ty, having been captured by the command of
General Wilson which captured the President
(f the Confederacy by accident, but he made
jjoeihis escape the same night.
Tie small boat was hauled across the coun
rijfrom the St. Johns to Indian river, a dis
tance of twenty-six miles, and launched for the
ocean. On reaching a point called Gilbert's
1 . 1 . I. C I. - . I I 1. ,
(nar. near uiu muuui ui lue river, i;ie uuai wts
beached, and dragged across a sandy-spit sixty
yards, and launched in an inlet coraniunicatin":
with the ocean. On this part of the route In
dian parties supplied them with scant provisions
of "cutnty," of which they made bread. For
the balance of the voyage they were compelled
to live on shell-fish, caught along the shore, and
turtles' eggs, of which they also laid in stores
for their voyage across the Gulf stream.
From the inlet near the mouth of Indian riv
er they coasted south some fifty or sixty miles,
when they beached their boat to hunt provisions.
At this time a United States gunboat or trans
port running down south between the shore and
the Florida reef observed the party, and the
commander despatched a boat from the vessel
to ascertain who the' were and what they were
doing there. As the boat began to show her
self, there was some excitement in camp, and
Thomas began to get his weapons ready for us.
They were temporarily located on a shell ridge,
between an impenetrable swamp and the waters
of the ocean, so that if they lost their boat they
svuuM perish In the sw'dmpr Taylor Wood, with
the cool determination of "Rough and Keady,"
his grandfather, ordered his two men to launch
the boat, which was instantly accomplished, and
the others having retired under cover of the
brush, the two soldiers took the oars "with a
will," and pulled for the advancing boat which
they met at about one-eighth of a mile from the
shore. An officer in the stern seat of the gig,
with a revolver in hand, hailed the boat with
the usual marine questions. Taylor Wood be
came immediately the roughest longshore woods
man, wrecker, and fisherman that ever lived in
Florida. "His men were paroled soldiers; they
had to live somehow; they were hunting wrecks;
and until they could find something better, they
were subsisting on the rather washy chanty of
the sea shell fish driven on shore and turtles'
eggs; they meant to get as far as Indian Key,
r possibly Key West; they had a boat load ot
papers, if he wanted to see them." And the
ready boys pulled forth their parole documents,
which were examined and found correct. "The
folks on shore were of the same class; had plen
ty of papers tbe same and were trying to
cook dinner, if they could find any eggs or shells;
wouldn't the captain like to go along ashore -he
would be perjettly icelcome to the best they
had, and their papers too!" Their hospitality
was declined the dictum "all right" was
uttered, and, "give too, my boys" when
away shot the gig on her return voyage to the
steamer name unknown. The wearied and
half-starved party breathed more freely after
the interview, which had been rather tedious
while waiting for the result. That evening
they left the shore, having on board a few dozen
of eggs, cakes of cumty bread, and a few clams,
so small that they might pass for mussels.
They reached the Hanks in about thirty-six
hours, having spoken one vessel and obtained a
supply of fresh water the day following their
departure from the Florida coast, and met with
no other incident, though terribly perplexed for
want of food, until they reached Cardenas on
the morning of the 11th eight days where
they were received by the people and the au
thorities with great kindness, well fed, well re
freshed, and serenaded in the evening. The
ladies wished to entertain them in their hospita
ble homes, which was, of necessity declined for
the want of suitable raiment. The Governor of
Cardenas furnished the party with transporta
tion to Havana, where they arrived on the morn
ing of the 12th, accompanied by an adjutant of
the Spanish army, and took up their quarters at
the Hotel Cubano." The adjutant reported his
arrival, with his guests to Captain-General
Dulce, who instructed him to say to General
Breckinridge that be had the "freedom of the
city and Cuba,1 fbVhimself and friends as long
as they wish to remain; and when he was rested
from his fatigue, and at his owu convenience,
he would be happy to see him." ' .
Those who know the country through the
woods from Georgia to St." John's, (the public
roads not available for their services except at
night,) and" thence by the route they took to
the coast, will appreciate the troubles and dan
gers encountered to get through safely, besides
the difficulty of obtaining food and supplies for
six persons. The boat in which the voyage was
performed did not admit of more than one sleep
er at a time, and the only navigator, Taylor
Wood, had to be always on the alert. In a squall
at nignt he was thrown over by sea, but having
the halyards in hishands, he managed to get
on board again without any one being aware
of his absence. Before leaving the coast they
had religious services, and on reaching Carde
nas, before leaving their frail boat, they return
ed thanks with prayer and praise to the Divine
Providence whereby they had been saved.
Col. Chas. J. Helm, who has always, been
highly esteemed here for his gentlemanly and
social qualities, with the people and the author
ities, continues to exercise a pleasant conserva
tive influence for the benefit of many unfortu
nates who come under official interdiction and
are homeless He presented General Breckin
ridge to the Captain General of Cuba at his
country seat, on the 14th inst., and the distin
guished Confederate ras received with heart
warm earnestness of manner courteous and
most cordial the Captain-General expressing
deep sympathy, and regretting that circumstan
ces had rendered it necessary that he should be
a nuest anions strangers for a little while; but
he might rest assurred that the laws of hospital
ity should not be violated in Cuba, and that he
should not be allowed to feel that he was a stran
ger in the land; that as long as he desired it,
Cuba should be a safe asylum for himself and
his friends.
31 r. Breckinridge writes a letter from Cuba
to floa.-E. M. Bruce, member of the late Con
federate Congress, dated June 15, 1865, from
which the following is extracted, viz: "T have
heard no news from the outer world since I dis
banded near Woodstock, Ga., the last Confede
rate force east of tbe Chatrahoochee. I trust
there will be wisdom enough in the councils at
Washington city not to drive a brave and suffer
ing people to the remedies that spring from de
spair. Every man should now exert all the in
fluence he possesses to make the present cessa
tion of hostilities permanent end honorable, and
let it be remembered that there can be no last
ing peace founded upon cruelty and oppression."
Sudden Death of a North Carolina
Woman at Jarrett's Hotel in Peters
burg. The Petersburg Express of the 4th
inst, contains the following :
A very sudden death occurred at Jarratt's
Hotel yesterday morning, which led to the sus
picion that poison had been taken. On Satur
day afternoon last, a young woman, with a fine
boy about seven months eld, arrived in Peters
burg on the Southern train, and took a room at
Jarratt's. She registered her name as "Mrs F.
Rogers." Yesterday morning she requested
Capt. Piatt, the proprietor of the Hotel, to inte
rest himself in her behalf, and endeavor to get
her some work to do. Capt, P. at once acceded
to her wishes, and went out to seek some hon
orable employment, but was unsuccessful in his
errand. About half an hour after his return to
the Hotel, a servant hurriedly announced to
him that a lady up stairs was very ill- appa
rently dying. On going to the room indicated,
the lady was found lying on her back dead.
She had died so suddenly as to create the im
pression that she had taken some powerful and
rapid poison, though no external signs of death
by such means were apparent.
In order to ascertain some particulars about
the deceased her place of residence, and the
names, if possible, of some of her friends or re
lationsit was determined to examine into her
trunks. From letters found therein, addressed
familiarly and affectionately to "Catharine L.
Weaver, at Home, Nashville, N. C," it is be
lieved that this was her real name, and Nash
ville, N. C, her place of residence. The writer
of the letters signed himself "W. D. Floyd'
and dated them "At Home." In one or more
of them he earnestly advises her to come to
Petersburg, and probably influenced thereby,
she cam? to this city.
THE FUTURE OP THE NEGRO.
The mortality going on among the freed men
of the South is frightful, and here are some few
well authenticated facts from certain locali
ties. In Charleston, from ninety to one hun
dred is the weekly average, and fearful stories
are also told of the mortality of the negroes on
the coast between Charleston and Savannah.
Similar reports come all along the coast from
Virginia to Texa3. The reports in the Depart
ments at Washington, in reference to the deaths
among the negro regiments, show a like result.
The New York Herald, from its data, says:
"It is safe to state that of the four millions of
bracks in the South in 1860, not over three
million are now alive. Tbe census of 1870 will
undoubtedly present an astounding result in re
gard to this unfortunate race. The mortality
from all, accounts w increasing. Tbe negro in
the South is noted for great inattention to all
the necessary precautions for health. The mas
ter, interested in him as property, always watch
ed him with great care, often warded off disease
and cured severe attacks by bringing to his aid
medical skill. But the negro thrown upon his
own resources becomes negligent, careless about
habits, and droops and dies, oftentimes without
any apparent cause. Such at least is the testi
mony of Southern planters, and such are the
conclusions to be derived from the official data
in Washington, which liave accumulated since
tbe commencement of the war. These facts are
so overwhelming that they have led many of
our public men to the conclusion that in less
than a century the colored race will bo no more
numerous in this country than the Indians are
at present. From all accounts the negro bids
fair to disappear with greater rapidity than the
Indian ever did. Facts are stubborn things,
and we commend this view of the nsgro to the
Abolitionists of the North.
The mortality among the negro soldiers in the
Mississippi valley has been proverbially large.
One regiment of eleven hundred strong raised
in one neighborhood, every man of which pass
ed the surgical examination and was pronounced
good, able-bodied and free from disease, were
pfaced in camp by themselves, in the very lo
cality where they had been raised, and in less
tfcan six months over ' one-half of the number
wre under the sod. These men were placed
at no severe work, were not engaged in a battle;
not a man was killed through the casualties of
the war. They were simply required to drill
and perform the usual work of a soldier in camp,
and had all the care in respect to cleanliness
and protection from the weather usually alloted
to soldiers; but they dropped off one by one,
until over one-half of their number were buried,
and that, too, without the appearance of an epi
demic. In addition to this, Jeff Davis, in allu
ding to the mortality of the negroes, about
eighteen months before the collapse of the re
bellion, announced that the exposure which the
slaves had been subjected to, and the casualties
among them since the commencement of the
war, had reduced their numbers at a fearful
rate."
The declension of the Negro race in New
York city is one of the events in its domestic
history. Thus, as is known, they have been as
free there as anywhere, and they have
"been subject to no drawback except that which
is the natural result of difference between tbe
two raees. They have been able to gratify their
tastes in every way that their means would jus
tify, just as fully and freely as white people in
the same financial circumstances. But what is
the result' Thirty-five years ago they perform
ed the duties of scavengers, hod-carriers, port
ers in the stores, hostlers and coachmen, ser
vants in private families, hotel waiters and bar
bers almost to the exclusion of tbe whites. The?
could then be seen promenading Broadway
every Sunday afternoon by the hundreds, fop
pishly dressed, and with all the display of lie
aristocracy. No arbitrary laws have since been
applied to them. On the contrary, the leniency
towards them has increased. Yet they hare
gradually disappeared. We now find but com
paratively few employed as family servants or as
waiters in hotels. The Irish and Germans have
taken their place. They no longer monopolize
our barber shops, but are almost superseded by
the white classes. We only see now and then
one connected with the livery of our aristocracy;
nor is the black man to be seen performing the
mora severe manual labor of the hod carrier.
Ac one time having the monopoly of labor, he
has been unable to keep pace with the times or
maintain his position, but is obliged to make
way for others. Like the Indian, before
tne marcn oi civilization, iney nave oeen grad
ually disappearing front all pursuits and decreas
ing in nuntbersj as th,e record shows."
INTERVIEW BETWEEN SENATOBt
SUMNEB AND THE PRESIDENT.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
. -
A friend ai Washington assures us that a few
weeks sinceian interview took place betweon
President Jotnson and Senator Sumner, which
was substantially as follows .
"Good eveoing Mr President," said Senator.
Sumner, last week, upon entering the Presi
dent's room in the White House.
"Good evening Mr Senator," replied the
resident. ? "Please be seated for a moment un
til I finish a letter to an old friend."
The letter being finished, the President turn
ed to Mr Suocner, when tbe latter said: 1
"Mr President, I have called upon you for
the purpose of expressing to you the views of
our people on the subject of reconstruction."
"Well, sir," replied the President.
Mr Sumner commenced by saying, "Sir, your
North Carolina proclamation does not meet the
approbatioa of the people, and they will not
submit to have tbe great results of the war thus
thrown away." '
"What people are you representing, sir?"
asked Mr Johnson.
"The whole Northern people," said Mr Sum
ner. "I apprehend you will find you but represent
a small portion of the Northern people," replied
Mr Job won.
"Thca," said Sumner, "we must take your
North Carolina proclamation as an indication of
your policy, must we?"
"Yes, sir," replied the President.
"Then, sir," said Sumner, "you do not intend
to enfraachise the black man?"
"I have nothing to do with the subject; that
exclusively belongs to the States. You certain
ly would think it a usurpation on my part if I
attempted to interfere in fixing the qualifications
of electors in Massachusetts."
"Bat," replied Sumner, "Massachusetts ha3
always been a loyal State."
"Tbat may be," replied the President, "bat
the loyal men of the South have made untold
sacrifices for their Union sentiments, while Mas
sachusetts has made hundreds of millions out of
her loyalty; and it would be a poor return for
Southern adherence to the government if the
latter should, in violation of the constitution,
thrust upon them local laws in opposition to.
tb$ir wishes."
Vt this reply of the President, Mr Sumner
became impatient and irritable, and rejoined by
saying, "I am sorry to see you evincing so little
sympathy with tbat element tbat placed you in
power."
At this the color flashed to the President's
face, and he added emphatically, "You and I
might as well understand each other now as any
other time. You are aware, sir, I have no re
spect for a secessionist; I still have a greater de
testation and contempt for a fanatic."
i "Good evening," said Sumner, and left in a
luff.
Two hundred and eighty petitions for parden
were filed on tbe 5th, among them the applica
tion of Messrs. Ashe, liamsey and McDowell,
late members of the Confederate Congress. One
hundred and eighty-nine pardons were granted,
t t " J lL . 1 A. A. 1 d
all to persons coming unuer me iweniy uio'
sand dollar execution, uue nunarea ana ti
teen are from North Carolina, and
Virginia.
Governor Vance has been released
Old Capitol Prison on parole, and ha
to "North Uaroana.
Among the applications for
from Henry S. Foote, ex-membe
Senate, and ex-United btates
journing at Montreal, Canada,
his application is aatea.
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forty
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A letter has been receive
Custom House addressed
ment by our Consul at
that tbe Bussian plag
more rapidly than is
advising that all
or Turkish ports
landing. The di;
that which vi
sold in Balti
Whig ays that
will probably nof
must b,e ?ne to c
Northern correspo.
Carolina Railroad has
control of its directors.
live urciiitiauvu') . "'"o
game, both to Columbia as
9